Paris Maps

ABOVE: These excerpts from the free Paris
tourist map of Paris show the Eiffel Tower (left) and the Ile de la Cité
with Nôtre-Dame Cathedral (right).

By Durant Imboden

In a city the size
of Paris, you need a good map--or, better yet, several. You'll find a huge
selection of maps in Paris bookstores and department stores, but here are our
favorites. (Several of them are free!)

The
Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau offers a free map of Paris that you
can get at tourist offices, hotels, the Printemps department store (which
sponsors the map) and in other places frequented by
tourists. The front of the map shows the city, with important monuments and
museums identified by 3D drawings. Most streets are named, but there's no index,
so you'll want to have an idea of where you're going before relying on the map.

The back of the map has maps of the Métro, RER, and bus systems,
along with ads for various tourist services. The transit maps are quite small,
though, and we'd recommend supplementing them with the
free pocket-size RATP map of
the public transportation network, which
is free at any Métro or RER ticket window.

RATP also publishes a full-size
transportation map, which is convenient if you're at an age when you need
reading glasses.

Another
free RATP map, Paris Tourisme, superimposes Métro and RER lines on a
background city map with icons for major tourist attractions. This makes it
easier to see which line will get you to the Eiffel Tower, Nôtre-Dame Cathedral,
Sacré-Couer, and other important sights.

Look for these maps in racks at major RATP and railroad ticket
offices, including service counters at airports.

Paris par
Arrondissement

If
you're going to be in Paris for more than a few days, invest in the Paris par
Arrondissment street atlas from Plan Guide Blay-Foldex. This 132-page book
has a sturdy plastic binding, a street index, and highly detailed maps of the 20
arrondissements or districts within the city of Paris. Other maps show
the Métro, RER, bus and tram network, La Défense, the Bois de Boulogne, and the
Bois de Vincennes.

Paris par Arrondissement is
more convenient to use than a large folding map, and it fits into the pocket of
a sport jacket or a purse. Just as important, the detailed neighborhood maps and
street names are easy to read--even with middle-aged eyes--and Métro and RER
stations are clearly shown (as are public parking garages for travelers who are
adventurous enough to drive in Paris).

We bought our copy of Paris par
Arrondissement at a department store, but you'll also find it at most
Parisian bookshops.

Other maps

ABOVE: The Berlitz City GuideMap fits into a
shirt pocket and has good coverage of the city center. It's available at US and
British bookstores.

You'll find many other maps at
Paris booksellers, department stores,and tourist shops tiny oregami-like maps
that unfold from the middle and large street atlases that cover suburbs you'll
never visit. (One of our favorites is Michelin's Paris Plan No. 55, which has a
scale of 1:10,000, covers the entire city, and is very easy to read.)